The Gargoyle is a rather intresting figure, for it is went through a rather currios transformation, rather it has gone through a couple of transformations.
Orgingal it was commonly beleived to be a guardian of water, as its very name came from the French word gargouille which meant throat or gullet, and it is common in ancient architecture to see Gargoyle statues being used as spouts to direct water, this was practiced both in Greece and Egyptian Temples, as well it is still common today to have Gargoyle fountains.
With the coming of Christinaty, Catholism had taken on the symbol and made use of it, and throughout Europe many Cathedrals are adorned with statues of the Gargoyle perched along the roof and eaves, they were seen by the church as guardains whom helped drive and scare away evil spirits.
But somewhere along the way the symbol would change hands so to speak once more, and was adopted into the mondern Gothic culture, as well it was taken in by the New Age culture. In this development the Christains seem to have forgotten thier original connection with the symbol of the Gargoyle and commonly falsely associate the Gargoyle with demons and Devil worship.
This could have been done primiarly as a sort of reaction to the Goths and New Agers associating themselves with the Gargoyle the Christains might have disowned it and villified it in a way to try and distance themselves
Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:58 am